The Hubble is prepped for its last mission. The craft we all mocked when it took its first problematic flight has redeemed itself a million times over with the incredible photos it regularly sends back. It’ll be missed.

Atlantis’ astronauts gingerly dropped the Hubble Space Telescope overboard Tuesday, sending the restored observatory off on a new voyage of discovery and bidding it farewell on behalf of the planet.

Hubble – considered better than new following five days of repairs and upgrades – will never be seen up close by humans again. This was NASA’s last service call.